Thai Style Creamed Corn, A Special Black History Inspired Recipe

Thai Style Creamed Corn, A Special Black History Inspired Recipe

Today’s recipe share is a tribute to my grandparents for Black History Month. In memoriam we’ll be getting into the kitchen to make a dish called creamed corn. This staple side in southern cuisine is something you might find on the dining room table at family gatherings, or as a side at a favorite bbq joint. Today’s version though, brings Thai flavors to this dish and has been written to make it easily repeatable at home.

Thai style creamed corn, made with local organic corn and fresh coconut milk.

There’s so much Black History to share this month and always. And yes it’s important to know the most famous events and people, but learning the history of people you know can help make the month more meaningful. So I’m honored to share a little about my grandparents, whose shoulders I stand on today.

In particular, my maternal grandfather, whose cast iron pan never moved far from the stovetop. His name was Harold Dunson, but people knew him as ‘The Vegetable Man’. After working for US Steel in Birmingham, Alabama for 35 years, he retired but never quit working. Instead, he started a small business delivering vegetables on the west side of Birmingham for decades.

Some of my most vivid memories of my grandfather were of him waking early, likely 4 or 5am, to get a jump on the bunches of collard and turnip greens he would slice and prep for his customers. He powered through with hot coffee and the help of his favorite prep knife, that had been repeatedly wrapped in worn masking tape to make it easier to handle.

To help share about Black History with our Thai friends, these recipe cards were created by the team at the US Embassy in Bangkok.

When daybreak came, he’d already have breakfast on the stove by the time my sister and I woke up. The long day’s work required hearty morning staples like biscuits, grits, bacon, and fried fish. After all, he was delivering to Black neighborhoods long underserved by grocery stores. He provided senior citizens with limited mobility to have access to fresh vegetables and fruit by bringing them to their doorstep and allowing those with limited finances to buy ‘a dolla‘ of this and that from the back of his truck. All of this happened long before we invented the term food desert, in swaths of Birmingham with more liquor stores and fast food than anything else.

Now Mr. Dunson may not appear in your history books, but I can’t help but summon him in my work today. Even though I live half a world away from where he spent most of his life, his compassion for people and his quiet perseverance to serve them into his early eighties still inspires me.

Creamed corn served with black eyed pea empanadas (left) and Thai style creamed corn with both mild and spicy versions.

In remembrance of this hero, I’d like to share a dish from his cast iron pan called creamed corn. This isn’t the dairy and bacon grease laden recipe you will find on websites dedicated to southern and soul food. That’s no discredit to soul food, but having the traditional version too often can be unhealthy. Instead, I’m making a Thai style creamed corn with fresh aromatics, grilled or roasted corn, creamy coconut milk, and a bit of spice. The resulting dish should be smoky and creamy, sweet from your corn and coconut milk, and pack a mild spice kick.

I hope you’ll join me in sharing this recipe, and reflecting on where Black History has brought us today as a society, and in our individual lives.

The recipe is below, happy cooking and special thanks to the US Embassy in Bangkok for helping highlight this story and recipe with a video and Thai language recipe cards.

Thai Style Creamed Corn

This recipe serves 1 person or can be shared as a side dish. The recipe can be made oil free, gluten free, and vegan if desired.

Optional utensils include mortar and pestle, and non stick frying pan or wok.

Ingredients

  • 200g Corn (about 1 cup, optionally grill and cut off the cob for extra flavor)
  • 100ml Coconut milk
  • Oil for cooking (optional, since the coconut milk is rich in healthy fats/oil)
  • 1/2 Bell pepper, diced
  • 1 Quarter of an onion, diced
  • 5-6 Garlic cloves, smashed or minced
  • 1 Tsp Palm sugar
  • 1 Tsp Black pepper, toasted and crushed
  • 1 Tsp Nam prik pow chili jam (optional)
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 Tbsp Sticky rice flour slurry (1 tbsp dissolved into 3 tbsp water)
  • 1 Spring onion stalk tip, sliced thin to garnish
  • Sprinkle of Paprika to garnish

Instructions

  1. Cut your corn off the cobb if needed, and dice your bell pepper. Then prep any other vegetable you plan to include in your recipe.
  2. Over low to medium heat add your onion, bell pepper, and garlic to a small amount of coconut milk or oil.
  3. Sweat these aromatic ingredients until fragrant or lightly browned. Now add corn and stir fry briefly for 2-3 mins.
  4. If needed, add coconut milk, a tablespoon at a time to keep your pan from burning.
  5. When everything smells fragrant, add remaining coconut milk and allow to simmer, gently boiling.
  6. Season with a teaspoon of palm sugar, black pepper, chili jam (nam prik pow), and salt to taste.
  7. Finish by adding a tbsp of your flour slurry at a time and stirring in well. When your coconut milk is no longer runny, or the desired texture is achieved, turn off the heat.
  8. Plate and garnish with a sprinkle of paprika and spring onion before serving.
A Rejuvenating Golden Milk Recipe

A Rejuvenating Golden Milk Recipe

Are you familiar with turmeric milk, golden milk, or if you’re feeling fancy a ‘golden milk latte’? They may be popular at your local cafes and in the health food community, but they’re easy enough to make at home too. Whatever you prefer to call this special drink, let’s have a closer look at the ingredients and method for making your own healing cup.

The most prominent tradition of drinking turmeric infused milk comes from India. On the subcontinent a traditional ‘haldi doodh’ simply calls for warming milk with turmeric before serving. However, now that turmeric is becoming increasing popular outside the region, you’ll find popular versions mix in Indian spices like what you would find in a recipe for Chai, including: ginger, cloves, green cardamom and cinnamon. This makes the tea more fragrant and tasty, and possibly distracts newcomers to turmeric from the pungent, unfamiliar flavor. Turmeric aficionados however, can feel free to veer from the recipe, making your turmeric milk with as few or as many spices as you fancy.

But why do we call turmeric-infused milk, ‘golden milk’? No one seems sure, but we shouldn’t underestimate the possibility of the culinary world simply appropriating a common Indian drink and renaming it. If this is the case, whether the term originates as a clever marketing campaign, or an intentional attempt to obfuscate or mystify the origin of the milk tea, we should have strong reservations about what we call it. Keep this in mind if you’re deciding to add it to your menu.

Controversy aside, we should all be including turmeric more regularly in our diets, as recommended in the tradition of Ayurvedic medicine. Long before the hundreds of research studies commissioned in the past decades, traditional healers in India recognized the benefits of consuming this brightly colored root. Thanks to the volume of research the western world now also associates turmeric with a long list of health benefits including being a powerful blood cleansing, inflammation reducing, brain boosting, heart healing, and cancer resisting rhizome.

Turmeric is a great addition to your diet. Fortunately finding it fresh or in powdered form is becoming easier for people around the world.

For those not already very familiar with turmeric here are a few tips for maximizing the potential uses in your daily life:

1) Avoiding Yellow Hands & Utensils

One of the first things you’ll learn from using turmeric, especially the fresh version, is that the color is incredibly strong. While the skin on the root is usually a dull black, once gently scraped away, you will reveal the surprisingly deep orange color. Beware though, because this enchanting orange-yellow color can stain your hands, cutting boards, kitchen countertops, and anything else the root may come in contact with.

2) Understanding Powders and Supplements Pills

Outside of Asia, one of the most common ways to consume turmeric is as a powder or supplement. Be sure you have it from a reputable source, and understand whether you’re having dried turmeric powder, an extract like curcumin, or some variation. This is important to know as the potential benefits and use may vary. If you’re using these products to battle a specific illness, consider consulting your doctor about the appropriate dosage

3) Increasing Bioavailability

In addition to not being widely grown in many western countries, the other reason turmeric is often taken as a supplement is that turmeric may be less bio-available to your body in other forms. Bioavailability means your body can easily digest and put to work the most healing chemical components. Some foods require us to prepare them a certain way to make the nutrients in them more bioavailable. To improve the bioavailability of turmeric, for instance, prepare with healthy fats sources like coconut milk. This is because turmeric is more easily fat-soluble than water-soluble. Another tip is the use of black pepper, which can give the body more time to circulate and process the turmeric

If you think about how turmeric is typically consumed in places around Asia, we know local traditions have dictated this bioavailable method of consumption for hundreds of years. The best example can be found in many of the curries you love. Typically most any yellow colored curry you can think of, regardless of the nation of origin, is so colored because of the addition of turmeric. Those curry pastes contain many ingredients, but two not often excluded are coconut milk and black pepper. One of the tips in our green curry recipe calls for adding a small nob of turmeric to enhance the color, not to mention the health benefits!

Turmeric Milk Recipe (Golden Milk)

Ingredients

2 cups of coconut milk (or the milk of your choice)
5g turmeric, smashed (or 1 tsp of turmeric powder)
5g of sliced ginger, smashed
2-3 black pepper pods
1-2 green cardamom pods, smashed and seeds removed
1 small cinnamon stick
1 tbsp of date syrup (or other natural sweetener)

Turmeric and ginger smashed in a traditional stone mortar and pestle.

Instructions

1) Smash any fresh or whole spices in a mortar and pestle, or with another heavy tool. This isn’t a pulverizing smash, but strong bruising that will allow the essential oils to come out more easily.
2) Add dry spices to a small pot over low heat. Briefly toast until fragrant.
3) Pour coconut milk (or the milk of choice) over spices and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Don’t let your milk boil too vigorously.
4) Add your sweetener and stir.
5) Turn off heat and allow to cool for another 5 minutes or longer before serving. This gives the ingredients more time to steep into the milk.
6) Strain out your spices are you pour into a glass or mug. Serve hot, or over ice.
7) Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top if desired.

After you’ve gotten the hang of making turmeric milk, try adding it to your hot or iced coffee.

We hope everyone will incorporate more turmeric into their diet, and continue to look for more creative uses for this healthy herb. If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, consider donating in support of the work of Courageous Kitchen, or signing up for our online classes.

Dry Stir Fried Crispy Pork in Red Curry Recipe

Dry Stir Fried Crispy Pork in Red Curry Recipe

Got red curry paste in the pantry but not sure what to cook? Check out today’s recipe video and instructions for dry stir fried crispy pork (aka moo grob pad prik gaeng) in red curry paste!

Here’s an easy recipe that calls for dry stir frying crispy pork (or another protein of your choice), an alternative to make curry. The recipe is quick, easy, and you can modify the meat, vegetables included. Since the recipe doesn’t require much coconut milk, this dish can be a great option if you don’t have any coconut milk, or if you need to quickly finish coconut milk leftover from another recipe.

Keep in mind crispy pork is salty already. That means you can go lighter on the seasoning than you might with another protein. Also, because of the saltiness, the recipe is incomplete if not eaten over rice. Finally, to enjoy Thai style, serve your stir fry with a tray of veggies and fresh leaves to help with the spice, saltiness, and to aid with digestion.

Pad Prik Gaeng Ingredients

120g crispy pork
3 tbsp of coconut milk (substitute stock or water if needed)
1 tbsp of coconut water (optional)
1 tbsp of red curry paste
1 tsp of palm sugar
2 tbsp of oyster sauce
1 tbsp of fish sauce
1 large red chili (Serrano or similar)
2 kaffir lime leaves sliced short and thin (set aside a bit for garnish before serving)
1/2 cup of Thai basil leaves (aka sweet basil)

Pad Prik Gaeng Instructions

  1. Briefly toast your curry paste in a non stick wok over medium to low heat.
  2. Add a tbsp of coconut milk and mix before adding crispy pork.
  3. Stir until the pork is covered with curry paste evenly, then add your kaffir lime leaf and chili. Don’t forget to add more coconut milk or a few splashes of coconut water to keep your wok from burning.
  4. Add your seasoning (palm sugar, fish sauce, and oyster sauce).
  5. Turn off the heat and add a handful of basil leaves. Stir until wilted.
  6. Garnish and serve over rice.
Garnish your red curry stir fry with extra sweet basil, kaffir lime leaf, chili, and spring onion.

Red Curry Questions and Answers

As always, leave a comment and let us know if you have any questions not listed below.

Do I have to use red curry paste?

No. This recipe is suitable for other Thai curry pastes you have on hand as well. We recommend trying it with any curry paste you love.

Is it wrong if I have a lot of curry sauce on my stir fry?

No. Some people prefer more sauce with their stir fry. Just be careful not to make your fried protein soggy by not adding too much liquid at once.

What is a good substitute to kaffir lime leaf?

Kaffir lime leaf and skin in Thai food is nearly impossible to replicate. However, you can still give your food a citrus spike by zesting a regular lime.

What type of Thai basil should be used?

The basil adds a nice fragrance and a touch of relief from the spiciness of the dish. However, if you don’t have Thai basil, don’t let that stop you. You don’t have to be too picky about the type of Thai basil. Sweet basil is the most common, but for our recipe we mixed in some holy basil as well. This really depends on your personal preference and which herbs you can access.

How should I substitute palm sugar?

Palm sugar is less sweet than your common white sugar. When using a substitute add it more conservatively, taste, and adjust as needed. Since palm sugar also has a bit of caramelized taste, jaggery (made from sugarcane) or other natural sugar make better choices than white sugar.

A Recipe for Making Authentic Khao Soi Curry

A Recipe for Making Authentic Khao Soi Curry

Whether from traveling to Thailand or watching street food videos, people around the world are excited to try Thailand’s rich khao soi curry. This hearty northern Thai dish wins people over by being full of tender stewed meat, aromas from the spices in the curry, and a colorful array of condiments.

We wanted to recreate this recipe in the tradition of Thai street food in Chiang Mai. Our strongest clues for how khao soi was eaten in the past come from the 40 year old flavors you can taste at the restaurant Khao Soi Islam in downtown Chiang Mai. The taste is a sharp contradiction to the extra sweet and salty versions many restaurants, and thus many online recipes promote today.

So here’s our method for the old school version. When you come to Bangkok, be sure to join a cooking class where you can learn to make this yourself. You’ll see in the video, we even pounded the curry in a granite mortar and pestle, this is the same Thai grandma elbow grease method we teach you in the class! Happy eating and remember you can help us feed and train more students by making a donation today!

san diego thai cooking class-3

Khao Soi Curry Recipe

Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 45 mins
Yields: 6 Servings, Feeds 3-4 People

INGREDIENTS

khao soi recipe ingredients

For the Curry Paste:

  • 8 to 10 dried Thai chili peppers soaked in water overnight
  • 5-6 garlic cloves
  • 3 kaffir lime leaves
  • 3 medium shallots, halved
  • One 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced (⅓ cup sliced ginger)
  • One 2-inch piece fresh turmeric, peeled and thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup chopped coriander root or 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro stems
  • 2 tablespoons sliced lemongrass (½ lemongrass stalk)
  • 1 tablespoon shrimp paste, toasted in foil
  • 1½ teaspoons toasted coriander seeds
  • 1½ teaspoons toasted cardamom pods, seeds removed and husks discarded
authentic khao soi recipe-2

For the Chicken Rub (Marinade):

  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 tsp sea salt

To Assemble Your Khao Soi Noodles:

  • 3 cups coconut milk, divided
  • Curry paste
  • 3 cups water
  • 1½ pounds chicken legs, drumsticks and thighs separated (4 legs, 8 pieces total)
  • 1 ½ cups oil (I prefer coconut or any high heat oil for frying)
  • 16 ounces thick egg noodles
  • 2 tablespoons palm sugar
  • Salt to taste or fish sauce
  • Cilantro sprigs, pickled mustard greens, shallots, chili oil and lime wedges, for serving

Directions:

1. Wash and dry chicken. Marinate with dry rub and set aside. (Can do this overnight)

2. Make the curry paste: Place the dried chiles in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and let soak until softened, 20 minutes, or soak overnight in cold water. Drain the chiles, reserving the soaking liquid.

3. Toast dry spices in a hot pan until darkened, no oil needed, remove from heat and set aside. Toast remaining paste ingredients until they have a slight char or smoky aroma. Toast shrimp paste in a small foil packet. Remove from heat and put all ingredients in your mortar or blender.
3. In a mortar, pound garlic, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, ginger, turmeric, coriander root (or cilantro stems), lemongrass, shrimp paste, curry powder, coriander seeds, cardamom seeds, and 2 to 4 tablespoons of coconut milk or the chili soaking liquid (as needed) to make a paste. Makes about 1¼ cups.

4. Make the soup: In a large heavy pot, heat 1 cup of the coconut milk over medium-high heat. When the coconut milk begins to simmer, add the curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid has thickened and reduced, 5-10 minutes. The oils should start to bubble and separate. Add the marinated chicken, browning a little on both sides. Add the water or chicken stock (covering chicken completely) and bring to a boil. reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and tender, 40 to 45 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, fry 4 ounces of egg noodles until golden brown and crisp, about 1 minute. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

authentic khao soi recipe-1

6. Cook the egg noodles one batch at a time, prepare one pot of boiling water and one ice bath for a 3 step process:

  • Slightly rinse noodles under cold water to remove excess flour.
  • Submerge into rapid boiling water, just to soften, about 30-40 seconds, remove immediately (too long and they will become gummy and inedible)
  • Transfer the noodles immediately from boiling pot to ice bath. This will stop the cooking, retain color and help firm them. Remove after 30 seconds, and place in bowl.

6. Stir the palm sugar into the soup. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt or fish sauce. Place noodles and soup among 6 bowls. Lightly drizzle coconut milk over top of soup, (don’t stir!) and serve with cilantro, pickled mustard greens, shallots, fried chili oil and lime wedges.

authentic khao soi recipe-3

Special thanks to our friends at Spoon Fork Heart for inviting us to participate in their International Chicken Collaboration Series. If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider donation to Courageous Kitchen to help up provide more cooking classes and education to children in need!

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